Pirates chairman and principal owner Bob Nutting discussed several topics as part of a wide-ranging Q&A with Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (part one, part two). Here are some of the highlights…
- Nutting believes his team can compete in the NL Central next year, though when asked if the Pirates will be buyers or sellers this winter, the owner said “it’s my belief we need to do both.” Strictly focusing on either avenue “hurts our ability to make the best deal on the marketplace. The most important thing for the organization long-term is that every one of those deals we optimize every bit of advantage we have.” Nutting said that Pirates GM Neal Huntington “has a wide-open slate” within which to operate, as “there are more paths and opportunities open right now for the Pirates than we’ve had in any particular window I can think of.”
- Back in September, Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle both had their contracts extended through the 2021 season, a clear sign of commitment from ownership despite the Bucs’ struggles in 2017. “I certainly have a bias towards stability,” Nutting said. “That doesn’t mean you can’t make changes….We’re not stubborn, but I do believe we have the right people leading the organization now.”
- Though Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Francisco Cervelli, and Josh Harrison all haven’t lived up to expectations after signing extensions with the team, Nutting “would do all of those (contracts) again,” though the Pirates will be re-evaluating their training methods to see if injuries can be avoided. Extensions are “not a precise science. You need to make the very best decision you can with the information you have at the time,” the owner said. “Frankly, my role then is to make sure Neal and his team know that if they make the best decision they can, we’re not going to second-guess it three months or six months or two years later based on something that was unforeseen.”
- The Pirates didn’t make any significant in-season acquisitions to fill the voids left by Marte (suspension), Polanco (multiple DL stints) and Jung Ho Kang (restricted list), though Nutting said that the team’s lack of activity wasn’t due to a lack of financial resources. Rather, the Bucs simply didn’t count Polanco getting hurt again, or that Marte would be so rusty in the wake of his 80-game PED suspension. For Kang, however, Nutting admitted that “if we knew then what we know now, we would have done something different with Jung Ho. We had no idea — maybe we should have — that it would be an entire season (without him). We all live in an imperfect world with imperfect information.” Kang was unable to obtain a work visa to return to the United States after receiving a two-year suspended sentence for a DUI offense (his third) in his native South Korea.
- Nutting has “no interest in selling the team,” with Biertempfel noting that Nutting has previously stated that he may pass the Pirates down to his three daughters rather than explore a sale. Reports from earlier this fall indicated that film producer and businessman Thomas Tull could be exploring a $1 billion bid to buy the Pirates, though Nutting said “no one has approached us (about selling). I haven’t heard any rumor. I haven’t had any discussion. I’m not aware of any buyer.”
It’s not smart to have Bob and Nutting on different lines. I thought you got hacked.
I read that title completely different from what it actually said.
Nutting
If only his first name was Ben.
I remember grade school, too.
Address?
As a Pirate fan, I don’t know how Nutting and Huntington say they think they can compete if they do nothing to improve a team that fished below 500.
Farm system has deteriorated to almost nothing; couple of arms and that’s it.
The Pirates need some impact position talent.
Yet if you ask Huntington he is loaded with prospects that he held onto for the future.
Where the hell are they, well if you don’t see them and I sure as hell don’t, guess we better ask if they are real or dreamed up by a delusional man.
This owner is terrible! Him not intending to sell is horrible news. The Pirates will never win a World Series while Nutting is the owner! He continues to keep the payroll under 100m and the farm system doesn’t have much!
They can’t seem to make up their mind on what to do. One moment you’ll see them trying to trade McCutchen, Harrison, and Cole, but then they’ll say we want to compete.
Yes. Ive never been more frustrated of an owner/ managerial group before. They say so much yet do so little.
TL I could not say it better myself.
At least you aren’t a Marlins fan
Hey at least the Marlins have won a few championships in my lifetime!
Pirates fans sound like the Cardinals fans!!! They’re sick of their “Let’s stand pat and gather low hanging fruit type of president of baseball team operations. The Cardinals are also a continually sinking ship since John Mozeliak came in as General Manager, now promoted to “president” of operational screw ups! Mo needs to go in St. Louis. Michael Girsch will be a good GM when Mo is out of the picture.
Yeah after all the marlins won the world series in 1994.
It’s so rough having wait so long and having mediocre seasons to break up the long streak of losing. Then to have a team that actually brings in talent, truly rough.
It’s so much harder then last championship in 1979 and 20 losing seasons.
You have to realize that even though Nutting is a billionaire, you have to realize that Pittsburgh is a small market. Outspending your influx of cash is not a good business model, and that is ultimately what the Pirates are, a business.
Everytime I read a comment like this moron I have to wonder if ….
1. He is a fan of another team and just trolling us and has no idea the suffering.
2. He is a true moron that likes throwing his money away.
3. He is delusional that things are ok and will be fixed eventually.
4. He is a moron with being satisfied with the insanity that became pirates ball.
That being said I know every past pirate great is crying over the joke this once proud organization has become.
They need to just move the damn thing all ready.
They need to hit the button on a rebuild. I’d have no problem with going low payroll now if they’d commit to spending the savings in 3 or so years when ready to make another run. Problem is, no one here in Pittsburgh is convinced they wouldn’t pocket the savings. They saved big money with Kang and Marte being out last year and did nothing with the savings at the deadline.
I understand we are the farthest from a large market team, but Huntington and Nutting is doing next to nothing to improve a team that lost last year. There were plenty of low-price, but solid free agents that they passed up on.
The Steelers
and Penguins seem to be thriving in that same small market!
That’s why they made $53 million last year in profits. If they had spent $25 million more they still would have been below league average. You can run a successful business and still be competitive.
It’s been a pretty darn good offseason for the bucs so far. Lets see what else they get done between now and spring training.
Yea, all 5 minor leaugers who haven’t played above double-A. They’re World Series bound now! (I hope you’re being sarcastic.)
Its time for at least a soft rebuild, they have to freaking realize that. Commit and move forward.
To say Josh Harrison has not lived up to his contract is short sited. He is one of the heart and soul players of the team and has performed above League average consistently! He is modestly payed for all he contributes all over the diamond.
Sorry, hate being “that guy,” but I gotta be me.
Paid = compensation for services
Payed = sealing a ship with tar
Although now that I think about it, some Pirates fans may have wanted to tar and feather the players last season, so maybe he was correct in the first place.
No one is offering much more then the draft pick you will get next year when Andrew turns down the QO. Harrison and Cole could get a nice return but no need to give them away.
You have to hope you’re improvement comes from within.
That’s a very roundabout way of saying “we don’t know what direction we’re going”. Rebuild, or go for it – treading water just shows you have no conviction.
Seems like the Pirates are in the same situation as the Royals were last year. Stuck
Chairman bob sounds like he’s having a good time
This team needs to be drug out into the field and shot and put out of all of our misery.
I would much rather pay to see the Washington Wildthings play. At least they compete every third year for a championship.
That house just past the right field wall on the edge of the woods at the Washington Wildthings ballkpark is my dream house. I don’t even really care what condition the house is in, just want to look out at a baseball field every morning.
I remember when I had season tickets to The Washington Wildthings.
Nutting is banking on people having no memory.
Fact is Mario Lemieux and a very rich partner attempted to purchase the Pirates team and he turned them down 4 or 5 years ago!
He said back then that he wanted to keep in the family for his daughters.
So Nutting is a liar if he says nobody tried to approach him.
He’s also a liar when he says that money didn’t affect their player personnel decisions.
If that is true then why have they never signed a major free agent in the history of his ownership? He must think people are as easily tricked as George Soros thinks they are.
If you buy into nuttings bullsh*t You’re an idiot. They’ll finish last the central. their bench depth is awful. sean Rodriguez bobble nite? are you kidding me?
What a bunch of BS from Nutting. He didn’t know a guy “would be rusty” after a PED suspension? How about not believing in the player any more, assuming it was the PEDS that made him good in the first place, that would have been the more logical conclusion. Counting on guys like he and Kang would be just stupid and he isn’t that stupid. It’s the money.
Nutting is happy to be in contention for a wildcard and that is it. He will never spend and extra 20 million a year to have a chance to win a World Series. They should trade cole and Harrison and get as much as they can. They will be just as competitive using Frazier at second and using another pitcher from the minors. They need to get a third baseman and a outfield to replace McCutcheon after this year. They won’t trade him because they won’t get good return.
But nutting and Huntington will keep what they have and sign cheap free agents to be able to say” we tried” . Bucco fans need to stay away from park to show we aren’t going to accept average team where owner won’t try to win it all.
Start an online boycott of advertisers. That’s where a big chunk of the revenue comes from.
Bob best not get any on the couch!
Come on now it’s really hard to take a guy serious with the last name Nutting lmao. Really?!?!?
Just threw up all over my self, all because of Bob Nutting. It’s truly ashame that one man, one owner, can cause so much hardship in the city. You GD farmer, take your family, and get the F*””*””””””””‘:;!! OUT OF PITTSBURGH! I HATE YOUR GUTS YOU CHEAP BUSINESSMAN IN WHICH BEING COMPETITIVE IS LAST OF YOUR PRIORITIES. I HOPE YOU DROP, SOON.
Read the comments section of that article. Wow. I feel for Pirates fans.
The Pirates have made one move this off-season, demoting former Asst. GM Greg Smith to ML scout.
They picked up a guy on waivers. Actually two, but then he got waived.
Now I see why they are stuck in the miccle, Cashman will move on from this groug. They can’t see where they are as a team, so how can they get to the top. They showed a few year ago they couldn’t make up their mind, and didn’t add. Now they don’t see that they can’t beat the Cards and Cubs with what they have at present.
I might be a day too late to comment bout I need too. I am a huge bucco fan since I was little. Nothing has changed and I supported them throughout it’s run from 89- to present. Pirates are my team and will support them either way. Die hard fans will do so.
Pirates are a small market team. Look at KC right now. They are losing because THEY used their farm system for trades to buy. Pirates let guys that have been traded from the system that haven’t had too much success in pro ball. What Pirates are doing is trying to get younger again. They are trying to trade these contracts to add to Newman, Craig, Meadows (bum), Glasnow (bum), Osuna, and so on that are in the system waiting to make some sort of impact.
What the Pirates will try to do is add pieces that can counter the Kang issue. Rather it is Walker or a 3B in trade or FA. Harrison can play anywhere unless traded. You have several others who can play the middle field. Pirates need strong 3-5 hitters. I am pretty sure they are digging deep here to improve that area. SP is a question mark too. Garcia sign, will be a benefit if Pirates keep Cole. 1. Cole 2. Tallion 3. Garcia 4. Nova 5. Kuhl doesn’t look bad. Braunt to AAA or BP (prefer that for long relief or 6th starter). Line up will be tough to decide if they do trade McCutchen, Harrison, Freese, or even Cole. What FA they can sign will also change the lineup. But keep in mind, Pirates may do 2/3 year deals for some guys in FA that may want a longer term because of the names on their backs.
2-3 years from now, I think we look pretty good with our system. It wouldn’t hurt to add some position pieces and maybe a good SP. Pirates get a middle round draft pick and we shall see if it is pitching or position upon moves this offseason. If they trade for more pitching, positon players can be the the biggest talk in draft week.
Money situation, business stand point, why have buy something that won’t create profit. They put a team on the field that is able to compete. Fans makes this team better. During the runs, these guys got pumped and played the best baseball we have seen before the 20 losing streak. When that streak ended, we as Pirates fans give the guys reason to play for Pittsburgh when we show up to games with a packed house. It’s a long season and having strong, loyal fans to cheer them on, gives them the energy to battle on. These guys play for Pittsburgh and it’s fans. Start paying for them. Pirates are waiting to get a better TV deal that can boost their payroll. The league watched heavy on the Pirates and waiting to fine them for lack of effort to spend money. For last 8 years, Pirates have been on a tight rope. They are using money with what they have without going bankrupt. You want winners; so your part as a fan. Rather you live in CA to Maine. Texas to Minnesota, but MLB and watch the games. Go to games. Be involved with the game. Smell the baseball. The grass. The dirt. Popcorn. Hot dogs. All of it that reminds you of playing little league. Something that gives to your children and gets them off the Xbox or PlayStation. Let them learn about the game like we did. That is a die hard fan
Just because the Yankees successfully retooled on the fly the past few years doesn’t automatically mean that model will work for every team. NYY had the rare luxury of having their cake and eating it too. Nutting and Huntington are saying in a roundabout way that’s what they intend to do, but the moves aren’t going to happen on their own. Huntington has to actually perform the transactions, and he’s still in an apparent state of paralysis. Better to trade McCutchen, Cole, and Harrison now before any of them are injured or their stock drops due to a bad first half. Bottom line for teams like PIT and BAL is that if you keep doing what you’ve been doing recently, you’re going to get the same results.
I have no problem with a rebuild as long as the worst GM in Pirate history isn’t doing it. Yes this GM is worse than Littlefield and he only won when Littlefields picks McCutchen and Walker hit their prime and Huntington was allowed to spend money on veterans to fill out the roster. His drafts have been horrible and his trade of veterans for prospects even worse. If we had a real GM that could turn it around I say blow it up.. Fact that the Yankees have prospects to trade the Pirates for their few good players shows how bad our GM is.
Littlefield was the worst GM. No farm system, direction, and winning atmosphere in Pittsburgh. I found many remarks you and other made about NH or even the owner, personally being biased and/or a unrealistic fan that is a part time supporter of the team. Either way, you are another troll on here